The Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee: Syria's Holy Land claims By YADIN ROMAN BACKGROUND The eastern rim of the Galilee and the western rim of the Golan Heights contains a rich array of Christian sites that have only been extensively developed and explored in the past three decades. These areas, integral to Jesus' ministry and to Holy Land history, were included inside of the 1923 boundary of Palestine, which was etched by the France and Great Britain. But in Israel's 1948 war of independence, Syria overran those border areas and occupied them until 1967 --when Israel regained the eastern Sea of Galilee shores along with the rest of the Golan Heights. The "Double Waterfall" of the Hermon River - one of the three tributaries of the River Jordan. The waterfall and its water is one many water sources coveted by the Syrians. Today, in recently resumed peace negotiations, Syria is demanding that Israel return these sites once more to her control. And indeed, if Israel accedes, some of the most fascinating and significant Christian sites in the Holy Land today may soon again be part of Syrian territory. A tour of these locales illuminates not only an important chapter in the ministry of Jesus, but also how the ongoing peace process may impact Christians around the world. Bethsaida, Kursi and Tel Hadar, clustered along the eastern Sea of Galilee, as well as the Golan's Banias Springs all fall into the areas where Syria is making territorial claims today. Banias, on the edge of the Golan Heights lies east of the Galilee panhandle town of Kiryat Shmona. In the third century BCE, Banias was known as Panias - or the place of Pan. Here, pagan worshippers planted a sacred grove of trees, a temple and a sacred grotto, that celebrated one of the biggest springs in the Middle East -- feeding one of the three tributaries of the River Jordan. In the First Century CE, Herod Philip, the son of King Herod, built the city of Caesarea Philippi near Banias Spring. In Jesus' time the Banias was thus the Roman town of Caesarea Philippi - where Jesus asked his disciples "Who am I?," and gave to Peter the keys to heaven and earth. When the border between the French Mandate of Syria and the British Mandate of Palestine was drawn in 1923, it was clear to the British and French survey teams, that Banias was part of the British Mandate of Palestine. As the French wanted to control a small dirt track, that led from Tyre to Damascus and passed by the spring of Banais, the British agreed that French traffic would be allowed to pass through a 750 meter wide corridor around the spring. In 1948 Syrian troops overran the Banias area and held its territory until 1967 when, following the Six Day War, Israel recovered the area. South of the Banias along the Sea of Galilee is the town of Bethsaida - at the mouth of the Bethsaida valley. Five maybe even seven, of the disciples were natives of Bethsaida - including Peter. Jesus passed through Bethsaida many times, knew its residents, he healed and taught in the area.. The New Testament recalls the many "mighty deeds" he performed in the city. One of the most significant of his miracles - the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida, was enacted here. Bethsaida is also located on the eastern edge of the Golan Heights. According to the border agreement of 1923, it was to be part of the British Mandate. But the area was occupied by Syria in 1948, and thus controlled by Damascus until Israel recovered the area in 1967, along with the Golan itself. Further south, on a little hill on the Sea of Galilee's eastern shore is the site of Tel Hadar - the site of the Miracle of the Feeding of the Gentiles. During the winter the waters of the lake come right up to the bottom of the hill. The hill is thus clearly inside the belt of land around the Sea that was included in Palestine and the British Mandate in 1923. In 1948 Tel Hadar it became a lookout, however, for Syrian troops, and later a base from which Syrians boats set out on fishing expeditions on the Sea of Galilee. Just a little further to the south along the seaside is the site of Kursi, nestled into the hills rising up to the Golan Plateah. Kursi, and the Byzantine era ruins of a monastery there, marks the site where the Miracle of the Swine took place. The Syrians turned the actual spot where, traditionally, the herd of pigs dived into the lake, into a military stronghold. Like at nearby Bethsaida, bunkers and trenches were dug, minefields and barbed wire fences were laid out. Since 1967 all of these sites have been made accessible again the pilgrims. The minefields have been dismantled, bunkers destroyed and barbed wire fence removed. Archeological and scientific expeditions have, and still are, researching the sites. Banias and Kursi are major National Parks. Bethsaida is part of the Jordan River Park and Tel Hadar has recently being beautifully restored and opened to the public as a pilgrim site and stopover. Hundreds of thousands of Pilgrims visit these sites every year - a tribute to their transformation from military outposts, to the beautiful and significant sites that they are under their rightful owners. The journey to Caesarea Philippi: "Who Do People Say the Son of Man Is?" Banias and Caesarea Philippi of the Roman period Jesus' Mission to the Golan: Feeding the Multitudes and healing the Gentiles Tel Hadar: Identifying the site of the feeding of the multitudes The Golan Heights and Sea of Galilee: Syria's Holy Land claims Bethsaida - A Biblical tradition comes alive again Bethsaida in New Testament tradition More QuickTime VR Panoramic Views Back to Index - Digital Holyland Back to Main © Copyright - Eretz Magazine